, laid his ship alongside the earl's, and the
battle began. So says Sigvat the skald:--

"Boldly the king did then pursue
Earl Svein, nor let him out of view.
The blood ran down the reindeer's flank
Of each sea-king--his vessel's plank.
Nor did the earl's stout warriors spare
In battle-brunt the sword and spear.
Earl Svein his ships of war pushed on,
And lashed their stout stems one to one."

It is said that King Olaf brought his ships into battle while Svein was
still lying in the harbour. Sigvat the skald was himself in the fight;
and in summer, just after the battle, he composed a lay, which is called
the "Nesjar Song", in which he tells particularly the circumstances:--

"In the fierce fight 'tis known how near
The scorner of the ice-cold spear
Laid the Charles' head the earl on board,
All eastward of the Agder fjord."

Then was the conflict exceedingly sharp, and it was long before it could
be seen how it was to go in the end. Many fell on both sides, and many
were the wounded. So says Sigvat:--

"No urging did the earl require,
Midst spear and sword--the battle's fire;
No urging did the brave king need
The ravens in this shield-storm to feed.
Of limb-lopping enough was there,
And ghastly wounds of sword and spear.
Never, I think, was rougher play
Than both the armies had that day."

The earl had most men, but the king had a chosen crew in his ship, who
had followed him in all his wars; and, besides, they were so excellently
equipped, as before related, that each man had a coat of ring-mail, so
that he could not be wounded. So says Sigvat:--

"Our lads, broad-shouldered, tall, and hale,
Drew on their cold shirts of ring-mail.
Soon sword on sword was shrilly ringing,
And in the air the spears were singing.
Under our helms we hid our hair,
For thick flew arrows through the air.
Right glad was I our gallant crew,
Steel-clad from head to foot, to view."

48. EARL SVEIN'S FLIGHT.

When the men began to fall on board the earl's ships, and many appeared
wounded, so that the sides of the vessels were but thinly beset with
men, the crew of King Olaf prepared to board. Their banner was brought
up to the ship that was nearest the earl's, and the king himself
followed the banner. So says Sigvat:--

"'On with the king!' his banners waving:
'On with the k